Fri Nov 22 12:40:15 UTC 2024: ## New Russian Missile Prompts Ukraine to Cancel Parliament Session, Triggering Emergency NATO Talks
**Kyiv, Ukraine –** Ukraine cancelled a parliamentary session on Friday following the deployment of a new Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile, escalating tensions in the nearly three-year-old war. The missile, dubbed “Oreshnik” (hazelnut tree) by Russia, reportedly travels at 11 times the speed of sound and carries 36 submunitions. It struck a missile factory in Dnipro, with Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming it is impervious to US air defenses. The Pentagon confirmed the missile is a new experimental type based on Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh ICBM.
The deployment prompted Ukraine to request emergency talks with NATO, scheduled for next Tuesday at the ambassadorial level. The heightened security measures also led to recommendations to limit operations of commercial offices and NGOs in the city center, with residents warned of increased threat. President Zelenskyy’s office continued operations under standard security protocols.
Further escalating the situation, Russia launched a Shahed drone attack on Sumy overnight, resulting in two deaths and twelve injuries. This marked the first time Shahed drones packed with shrapnel were used in the region, according to Sumy regional head Volodymyr Artiukh.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky arrived in Kyiv on Friday to assess the situation and discuss aid distribution. He noted his interest in understanding how Ukrainians are coping with the bombings and how to improve international aid efforts. Three Ukrainian lawmakers confirmed the parliamentary session cancellation due to the ongoing threat of Russian missile strikes targeting government buildings.
First Piper 